Perforated record controlled machine



Sept. 21, 1937'. c; D. LAKE 2,093,566

PERFORATED RECORD CONTROLLED MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet1 FIGJ';

' A1I'TORNEY Sept. 21, 1937. C LAKE 2,093,566

PERFORATED RECORD CONTROLLED MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet2 ATTORNEY- Sept. '21, 1937. C. D. LAKE 2,093,566

PERFORATED RECORD CONTROLLED MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet3 F|G.3. K

"I III 206 W l A AI'TORNEY Sept. '21, 1937. J c. D. LAKE PERFORATEDRECORD CONTROLLED MACHINE Filed Feb. 2'0, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYSept. 21, 1937.- c. D. LAKE PERFORATED RECORD CONTROLLED MACHINE FiledFeb. 20. 1935 s SheertS -Sheet 5 ATT RNEY- Sept. 21 1937- I C. D. LAKE2,093,566

PERFORATED nncoan CONTROLLEDMACHINYE Filed Feb. 20, 1933 e Sheets-Shet 6FIG-.8.

as 3003 a a a a as as 3033 a a a s as 5 5s 5 5 5 50s 55 5 5 5 5 55 55505 555 s 2 2 z 2 2 2 z 2 2 2 2o a a a as a a a e000 0065 as as 6088assso'seassa 9909099895338 Illillll llllll :soasravnun ATTORNEY-Patented Sept. 21, 1937 rnaroaa'rizn PATENT OFFICE 2,098,586 imconnCONTROLLED mcnma Clair 1). Lake, .Binghamton, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 20, 1933,Serial No. 657,559

9 Claims.

The invention relates to record card controlled machines andparticularly to machines for comparing a plurality of groups of recordcards to determine whether the cards of one group bear a predeterminedrelationship to the cards of another group.

While the invention is not limited to such use, it finds its mostpractical application in comparing two files or stacks of tabulatingmachine control cards to determine whether the several cards in onefileeach contains data perforations identical with data perforations on acorresponding cardin the other file. Itis well known that data arerepresented on record cards, which are to be used subsequently tocontrol tabulating machines, by perforating them indifferent locations,the perforations representing different characters by their locations onthe cards. As these perforated cards are used to control'mechanicalaccounting machines, it is very important that their perforations orindex points, as they are commonly called, be properly located, and incases where extreme accuracy is required, each card, after beingperforated, is verified to determine that all of its perforations arecorrectly positioned. This is ordinarily done" by passing the cardsthrough a verifying machine, which is provided with a key for eachcharacter which may be represented on the cards by index points.- Thekeys must be depressed according to the characters which are supposed.to be represented by the perforations on the cards, and if the depressedkeys fail to agree with the perforations in the cards the machineindicates this fact to the operator. This verifying operation involvessubstantially the same amount of labor as the card punching operation.

Many businesses, which make use of perforated card accounting, find itnecessary to keep duplicate files of their record cards; and as thecards are ordinarily punched one at a time, the cards of the originalfile and the cards of the duplicate file are punched either by diilerentoperators or by the same operator at different times. If the cards ofthe original file agree card'by card. with those of the duplicatefile-then, it is a fair indication that the punching in both files iscorrect.

The present invention provides for a machine which automaticallycompares the original file and the duplicate file, card by carcl ,.andautomatically separates any incorrectly punched cards from the files,thereby obviating the necessity for manual character by characterverification.

' The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and'improveddevice for comparing Another object of the invention is to providearecord comparing device of this nature, which has automaticmechanism'for feeding a plurality of groups of records, comparing theirindex points and separating from the groups any record whose datarepresenting index points do not conform to those on a correspondingrecord in another group.

The preferred form of mechanism, so far as at present known, by whichthe invention may be practiced is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which the same reference numerals refer to the same partsthroughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. -1 shows a horizontal section through a machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a verticalsection on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the section being chosen to show the cardfeeding devices and the automatic comparing device;

Fig. 4 is a detail of a mechanism for offsetting incorrectly punchedcards from the card files or stacks; J

Figs. 5 and 6 are additional detail views, at

right angles to each other, of parts of the card compared, one by onethrough the machine. Two

separate analyzing mechanisms are also provided, one of which analyzes acard of one file while the other is analyzing the corresponding card ofthe other file. The two analyzing mechanisms conjointly control a devicefor offsetting individual cards from the card stacks or files, and thisconjoint control is such that, if perforations in the two cards beingcompared agree, the ofisetting device is prevented from operating andthe cards feed to separate stackers to be stacked. When the perforationsin the two corresponding cards of the files fail to agree, the analyzingmechanisms cause operation of the offsetting device so that both cardsare offset from their stacks or files. This offset, as hereinillustrated, is just sufficient to permit an offset card to be graspedand easily pulled out of the stack, the offset cards being fed to thestackers and stacked along with the others.

The general scheme of operation of the machine may be understood fromFigs. 1 and 3. Each of two card supply Hoppers A and B receives one ofthe card files or stacks to be compared and verified. The cards are fedone by one from each hopper to suitable analyzing mechanism, shown at Cfor hopper A and at D for hopper B.

While a card from hopper A is being analyzed by analyzer C, acorresponding card from hopper B is being analyzed by analyzer D. If theperforations in these two cards agree, the cards feed in a straight lineto their stacker mechanisms, of which that corresponding to hopper B isshown at E in Fig. 3. If the perforations in the two cards fail toagree, the analyzing mechanisms cause pusher arms 39 and 249 (Fig. 1) tomove sideways and displace the cards laterally. The cards still feed tothe stackers, but, when stacked, their ends project from the stacks asshown for certain cards in Fig. 4. This displacement indicates that atleast one of the two cards is incorrectly punched, and they may begrasped by their projecting ends and withdrawn from the stacks.

The cards which the machine is to compare and verify are illustrated inFig. 9. These are standard'tabulating cards of the single hole type;that is, each character is represented by a single perforation, whichdesignates the character by its position on the card. The cards aredivided into columns, and a digit may be represented in each column.Ordinarily the ten digits are printed in each column, each digit beingprinted in the position in which the card must be perforated to controltabulating equipment in accordance with that digit. In Fig. 9 twocorresponding cards are represented, one of which may belong to theoriginal card file and the other to the duplicate card file. As one ofthese cards is a duplicate of the other the same data are represented onboth by the perforations. The purpose of the machine is to detect anycorresponding cards in the two files, that is, cards which should beduplicates of each other, whose perforations are not the same.

The machine, as illustrated, will now be described and its operationexplained in detail.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the machine is driven by asuitable motor (not shown) through a belt 20. This belt drives a pulley2| which is fixed to and drives a shaft 22. The shaft 22 carries a bevelgear 23 which meshes with a bevel gear 24 fixed on a short verticalshaft 25. A bevel gear 26, fixed on the upper end of shaft 25 mesheswith a bevel gear 21 fast to one end of a short horizontal shaft, towhose other end is fixed anisms will be described. Referring to Fig, 3,,

a stack of cards 35 is placed in the hopper B, and a weight 36 pressesthem down so that the lowermost card of the stack cooperates with pickermechanism. This picker mechanism (see also Fig. 1) consists of a pair ofknives 45 each carrled by a reciprocable member 46, which may slide in aslot in the floor plate 41 of the hopper. The upper edge of each knife45 projects above the floor plate 41 a distance slightly less than thethickness of one of the record cards. Thus, as the members 46 arereciprocated in their slots, the knives 45 catch behind the edge of thelowermost card and force it into the feed rolls 48. Each reciprocationof the structure 46, then, forces a card from the hopper B into the feedrolls 48, thereby causing the cards to feed one at a time.

The member 46 (Figs. 1 and 3) is provided with a slot 49 in which isfixed a pin 50, which fits into a bifurcation in the upper end of alever 5| pivoted at 52. The lever 5| is connected by a link 52 to aneccentric 53 which is fast on shaft 60. The shaft 60 (see Fig. 2)extends across the machine and at its central portion, has a worm wheel6| fixed to it.

The worm wheel 6| meshes with a worm 62 fixed to the shaft 3|], which,as previously explained, rotates as long as the machine is in operation.It will be understood, then, that as long as the machine is inoperation, the picker mechanism reciprocates and at each reciprocationforces the lowermost card out of the supply hopper B and into the feedrolls 48.

The lower feed rolls 48 (see Fig. 3) are mounted on a shaft 66, which(see also Fig. 2) has a worm wheel 68 fixed on it. The worm wheel 68meshes with a worm 61 fast on shaft 30, which rotates as long as themachine is in operation. The upper feed rolls 48 are mounted on a shaft69 and suitable-spur gears, indicated at 12 and 13 in Fig. 3,interconnect the shafts 6B and 69 so that whenever one of these shaftsrotates the other must also rotate. The picker mechanism, then, deliversthe cards, one by one to the feed rolls 48 which advance them into theanalyzing mechanism.

The card on being fed forward by the feed rolls 48 moves between anupper plate 15 and a lower plate 16 which serve to guide it accuratelywhile it is in the analyzing mechanism. The analyzing mechanism consistsof a plurality of electrical brushes 80, of which one is provided foreach card column in which perforations may occur. These brushes arelocated in a single row across the machine, and extend through anopening in the lower plate 16. Directly above the brushes 80 is aconducting roll 8|, whose lower portion extends through an opening inupper plate 15. The brushes 8!] are resilient and, as long as noimperforate portion of a card is between them and roll 8|, they bear onconducting roll 8|, and make electrical contact with it. 'The roll 8|,as will be explained later, rotates as long as the machine is inoperation, so that the brushes 80 will contact with different portionsof it at different times. This tends to prevent pitting of the roll dueto the action of the electric current. The card is fed by the feed rolls48 2,093,566 between the brushes so and the conducting roll ing roll 8i.This momentary contact causes an impulse of electric current to flow, aswill be explained in connection with the circuit diagram, and'thisimpulse occurs at a time in the cycle of machine operation whichcorresponds to the location of the perforation on the card column. or,in other words, to the value of the digit represented by theperforation. 1

Before the rear edge of the moving card leaves the feed rolls 48, itsforward edge enters the grip of additional feed rolls 84, and theseeventually advance it, between spaced plates 85 and 86, to the stackermechanism, indicated generally by E. The feed rolls 84 are driven by theshaft 38, (see Fig. 2) through a worm88 and worm wheel Si in a mannerentirely similar to that already explained in connection with the feedrolls 48.

Incidentally the shaft 82, on'which the lower feed rolls 84 are mounted,also drives the conducting roll 8i of the analyzing mechanism, thisdrive being effected by suitable gears indicated at 85, 86, and 81 inFig. 3.

The stacker mechanisms, one of which is indicated generally at E in Fig.3, are mounted fast on a shaft 256. This shaft is rotated with anintermittent motion by the Geneva mechanism shown in Fig. 7, whosedriving connection from the drive shaft 38 of the machine is illustratedin Fig. 2. A worm 288 is formed on one end of shaft 38 and meshes with a.worm pinion 28I on a short cross shaft 282 (see also Fig. 1). Amutilated pinion 283 (Figs. 1 and 7) is also fixed to shaft 282 andcooperates with a mutilated gear 284 fixed to shaft 256. The mutilatedpinion 283 has teeth about a portion of its periphery, and the remainderof its periphery is smooth as indicated at 285. The mutilated gear 284is provided with four. sets of teeth separated by extensions 286 withindented edges to cooperate with the smooth concentric portion 285 ofthe pinion 283.

The number of teeth in each set on gear 284 is the same as the totalnumber of teeth on pinion 283. As the pinion 283 rotates, then, itdrives the gear 284 with an intermittent motion, the gear 284-beingdriven whenever the teeth of pinion 283 mesh with any oneof its sets ofteeth and remaining stationary when the smooth portion 285 of the pinionperiphery cooperates with any one of the extensions, 286. A positivelock is provided to hold gear 284 stationary during the periods when itis at rest. One partLof this lock consists of a plate 2881fastened tothe gear and provided with four arcuate recesses 28L A disk 282 ispinned'to shaft 282 and carries an attached segmental plate 283 in theplane of plate 288. The contour of this plate 283 corresponds to thearcuate recesses 288 and its periphery is concentric with shaft 282. Aslong as the plate 283 is within one of the recesses 28i it preventsplate 288, with attached gear 284 from rotating. When, during rotationof pinion 283, plate 283 has been turned clear of a recess 29l, theplate 288 and attached gear 284 are free to turn. Just at this time, theteeth of pinion 283 engage one of the sets of teeth on gear 284 anddrive this gear through one quarter of a revolution, after which plate283 is turned into another recess 28l, thereby again locking gear 284againstmovement. Thus the gear 284 and shaft'256; tov which itisattached, make one quarter of a'revolution for each revolution ofpinion 282, and are stationary for an interval after each quarterrevolution.

Each stacker mechanism (seeFigs. 3 and 10) consists of two narrow drums388 fixed to shaft 256 by spiders 38 i Thesedrums are spaced apartsurface of the drums.

Aligned pairs of grippers on both drums are mounted on a common pivotedsupporting structure 383, which is pivoted at'384 on the right hand drumin Fig. 18 and at 385 on the left hand drum. An individual spring, asshown at 386 in Fig. 10, rocks each gripper supporting structure 383so'thatlthe protruding ends of its grippers 382 press against theoutside-surface of their drum 388, as shown in the case of the upperthree grippers illustrated in Fig. 3. Each gripper supporting structure.383 is provided with a cam surface, shown at 3l8 in Fig. 3, whichcooperates with a roll 3| I, pivoted on a bracket 3'i2 fastened to themachine frame.

It will be recalled that shaft 256 rotates for a quarter revolution andthen stops for an interval. Before it stops, the roll 3 encounters camsurface 3l8 on one of the supporting structures 383, thereby rocking thesupporting structure against the action of its spring 386, and forcingthe grippers attached to this particular supporting structure to openposition, as shown for the lowermost gripper 382 in Fig. 3. The timingof the drive for the stackerdrums is such that a set of open grippers382 arrives. and stops opposite the guide plates and 86 just before acard has been fed clear of the feed rails 84. At this outer surface ofthe stacker drums 388 and carried by the stacker. At the end of thisquarter revolution, of course, another set of grippers arrives in openposition opposite the guide plates 85 and 86 to grip the next card.Eventually a card gripped on the stacker encounters a stripper plate3l6, .and the subsequent movement of the stacker drum strips it from thegrippers as it arrives in the discharge hopper K.

,The picker mechanism for the supplyhopper A, the feed rolls for feedingthe cards from this hopper, and the analyzing mechanism 3 for analyzingthe cards fed out of this hopper are entirely similar to correspondingdevices just described in connection with supply hopper B. These severalmechanisms'are driven by the same shaft 38 which drives thecorresponding mechanisms associated withhopper B, the shaftextendingacross the machine for this purpose and card feedsi'rom hopper.B into its analyzing mechanism, a corresponding card from hopper Afeeds into the other analyzing mechanism, and the analyzing brushes ofthe two analyzers analyze corresponding index hole positions on the twocards at the same time.

The purpose of the analyzing mechanisms is to control comparing devicesto determine whether the cards of each pair simultaneously fed are likeor unlike in their perforations, and to ofl'set from the card stacksthose cards which are unlike. The card comparing mechanism is verysimilar in construction and operation to the usual automatic controldevices which are used on standard electrical tabulating machines, andwhich are well known. The operation of these devices will first beexplained in connection with a circuit diagram shown in Fig. 8, andthereafter the mechanical parts of the comparing mechanism will bedescribed and explained.

Referring to Fig. 8, the electrical power for the machine is obtainedfrom a source S, and the machine circuits may be connected to thissource by a manual switch SW. The motor M for driving the machine isconnected across the main lines of the machine circuits through motorrelay contacts I00, which are controlled by motor relay coil IOI.Assuming that the separate stacks of cards have just been placed intheir respective hoppers, the machine may be started into operation bydepressing the start 'key I02, whereupon a circuit is established fromthe source S through main line I05, wire I06, stop key contacts I03,normally closed, start key contacts I02, stick relay coil I01, wire I08, motor relay coil IM and wire I09 to main line I I and back to theother side of source S.

The energization of motor relay coil IOI closes its contacts I00, andthrows the motor M directly across the main line, whereupon the machinestarts in operation. The energization of stick relay coil I01, which isincluded in the starting circuit, closes its contacts I I which arearranged in a shunt around the start key contact I 02. This shunt,however, becomes effective only after cards have been fed into both ofthe analyzing mechanisms, where they close card lever contacts II 6 andH1 of which II6 cooperate with the cards from hopper A and H1 cooperatewith the cards from hopper B. These contacts in the well known mannerremain open as long as cards are not feeding through the analyzingmechanism, and close whenever a card is in or passing through theanalyzing mechanism.

When'starting the machine the start key contacts I02 must be held closedmanually until the cards feed to the analyzing mechanisms and. closecard lever contacts H6, H1. These contacts, on closing, establish acircuit extending from the source S through main line I05, card levercontacts H6 and H1, wire I2I, relay coil I22 and.

through wire I23 and main line IIO back to the source S. Theenergization of relay coil I22 closes its contacts I33 and completes theshunt around start key contact I02. After this the start key may bereleased to open contacts I02, and the motor relay coil is maintainedenergized by a circuit extending as follows: from source S, through mainline I05, wire I06, stop key contacts I03, wire I30, card lever relaycontacts I33, now closed, stick relay contacts II5, stick relay coilI01, wire I 08, motor control relay coil I M, wire I09 and main line IIOback to the source S. After this, the driving motor M remains incontinuous operation, but may be stopped by depressing the stop key toopen contacts I00. Opening of these contacts breaks the circuit of motorrelay I0l, which opens contacts I 00 and thus breaks the motor circuit.

The successive cards from the two card hoppers A and B now feed insynchronism with each other to the analyzing brushes 60 and I40,respectively, cards from hopper B feeding between the brushes 60 andconducting roll 8|, and cards from hopper A feeding between the brushesI40 and conducting roll I66. Each analyzing brush 80 is connected to anindividual socket MI, and' each brush I40 is connected to an individualsocket I42. The sockets are provided to permit plugging of the analyzingbrushes cooperating with any desired card columns in circuit with thecomparing mechanism, and thereby impart great flexibility of operationto the machine. The comparing mechanism is controlled by the analyzingbrushes in a manner very similar to that in which the well knownauto-controlled devices at present in use are controlled,- and theprinciples of operation of this mechanism, in the form shown in thepresent case, are fully explained in U. S. patent to Bryce, No.1,787,719, dated January 6, 1931. An auto-control relay I45 is providedfor each card column on which comparison may be desired. The terminalsof these relay coils are brought out to individual sockets I46 and I41,and, when a comparison is desired in any particular card column, theanalyzing brush 80 cooperating with that card column is plugged from itssocket I4I to socket I41 of control magnet I 45. The corresponding brushI40 of the other analyzing mechanism is plugged from its socket I42 tosocket I46 of this control relay I45. In other words, the control relayI 45 is wired directly between an analyzing brush 80 and thecorresponding brush I 40. In the circuit diagram, the several relaycoils I45 are indicated as plugged in circuit properly with theanalyzing brushes.

It may be stated at this point that whenever a control relay I45 isenergized, it opens its relay contacts I50 which are normally closed,and closes its contacts I5I which are normally open. A common wire I55is connected to one contact of each pair I50 and to the main line I05through a commutator I56 and. wire I68. The commutator I56 is providedwith suitable segments to supply current impulses to any analyzingbrushes, which are plugged in circuit, whenever index point positions onrecord cards are cooperating with them, and to break the brush circuitsat other times. This is a well known arrangement in record controlledelectrical machines to prevent sparking at the brushes. Each of theother contacts of pairs I50 is connected individually to one terminal ofits relay coil I45 through a resistance I60, and to the other terminalof its coil through a resistance I6I The resistances I 60 and I6I formtwo arms of a Wheatstone bridge connection with the coil I45 connectedacross them. If the cards feeding through the two analyzing mechanismseach presents a perforation in a certain column at the same time totheir respective analyzing brushes 80 and I 40, current will flow fromthe source S through main line I I0 to a common brush I65 cooperatingwith the conducting roller I66, thence to brush I40 and, through a plugcord, to socket I46, thence to resistance I6I, contacts I50 normallyclosed, and wire I55 to commutator I 56 and through wire I60, card levercontacts Ill and H6, closed as long as cards are feeding through themachine, and-main line I05 back to the source S. Current aooasee willlikewise flow from mate 8 through main line H and wire I18 to brushI1'I, cooperating with conductor roller II, corresponding analyzingbrush 80 and through plug connections to socket I41 of the relay coilI45, thence to resistance brush I40 directly to main line I I0, and theother terminal being connected through analyzing brush 80 and wire I10to the same main line H0. The presence of corresponding index pointperforations in cards under the two analyzing mechanisms, therefore,does not effect energization of any of the relay coils I45. Obviously,also. the

. absence of perforations. under both analyzing brushes has'no effect onthe coils I45 because the card material between the brushes 80 and I40and their respective contact rollers 8I and-- I60 insulates the coil I40from the line IIO. If a perforation occurs in a card under one set ofanalyzing brushes, however, without at the same time a hole occurringunder the other corresponding analyzing brush, the Wheatstone bridgecircuit'will be unbalanced and the coil I45 energized. Assume, forexample, that an analyzing brush I40 encounters a hole in a card, whileat the same time the corresponding analyzing brush 80 does not encountera. hole.

will then flow from the source S throughmain line IIO, common brush I85,conducting roller I88, analyzing brush I40, socket I42 through a plugconnection to socket I46. It will be noted that, as no current can flowthrough the-analyzing brush 80, the socket I41 and consequently theterminal of coil I45 which is connected to it is not at the samepotential as the other terminal of the coil which is connected to socketI48. The current flowing from analyzing brush I40 therefore divides,part of it flowing through the I resistance IN and part of it flowingthrough the relay 0011145 and resistance I60. The return circuit throughcontacts I50 is the same as that previously described. This operation,however,

' has energized relay I45, causing it to open its contacts ,II may closeat any time while a rec- 0rd card is being analyzed, as the severalindex point positions on the card cooperate successively with theanalyzing brushes. The card offsetting mechanism, which is operated bymagnet I19 and whose operation will be explained later,

must operate at a certain time after the card has left the analyzingbrushes. The closing of any .oneof the pairs of contacts I5I, therefore,mere- 1y arranges for completion of the circuit through magnet I19. Theactual completion of the circuit to energize this magnet is effectedlater, when the card has cleared the analyzing brushes and is inposition to be operated upon by the offset- Current ting mechanism.Closure of any pair of contacts I5I, due to the presence of aperforation in a card under one set of analyzing brushes without a.corresponding perforation in the card under the other set of analyzingbrushes, completes a circuit from main line I05 through wire -I15andthrough any pair of closed contacts I5I and wire I18 to cam contactsI11, which are closed during the analyzing operation, thence throughwires I82 and I88 to stick relay coil I80 and 'through wire ,-I8I toline 0. Stick relay coil I80 is thus energized and closes its contactsI85. Another circuit is thereby closed for the stick relay coil I80,this circuit extending from main line I05, through wires I15 and I81 tocam contacts I86, which-are also closed during the card analyzingoperation, thence through stick relay contacts I85, coil I80 andwire I8Ito line IIO. After the analyzing operation is completed and the cardleaving the analyzing brushes is in position to be offset, cam contactsI18 close, thereby energizing the offset mechanism magnet I19. Thecircuit extends as follows: from main line I05 through wires I15 and I81to cam contacts I88, thence through stick relay contacts I85, wire I83and cam contacts I18 to magnet I18 and back to main line I I0.

Afterv the card offsetting mechanism has had an opportunity to-operate,and prior tothe beginning of the analysis of the following card camcontacts I88, I11, and I18 open, and control relay contacts I50 and I5Iare restored to closed and open positions, respectively, therebyconditioningthe circuits for comparing the next cards which feed totheanalyzing mechanisms. The mechanical operation of restoring contacts I50and I5I will be explained in the explanation of the mechanical operationof the control or comparing unit.

The mechanical parts of the card comparing mechanism are shown in Fig.3,-the mechanism .known, it will be described briefly in'the presentcase. The auto-control relay magnets I are arranged in two rows for thepurpose of conserving space. Thetwo rows of magnets control theircontacts I and I5I in the same manner, and the only difference in thestructures associated with the two rows are obvious mechanicalmodifications of the parts to provide for operating from their diflerentpositions. The operating mechanism associated with the left hand row ofmagnets I45; will therefore be described, it being understood that] themechanisms operated by the other row are substantially the same.

The contacts I50 and I5I are mounted on leaf springs which are supportedby a block of insulating material 200. A spring 20I pulls upwardly onthe leaf spring which carries lower contact I50.. When the machine is inoperation, a' bell'crank 202 pivoted at 203 is latched by a latch member204 in the position shown in Fig. 3. The bell crank202 has an extension205 on one of its arms to press downwardly on the leaf spring support ofupper contact I50 and hold the contacts, I50 closed.

I The contacts I5I under these conditions open under their ownresiliency. The latch member 204 is mounted on the armature structure208 of magnet I45, the armature structure being pivoted at 201 andnormally held in latching position by a spring 2I2. Energization of themagnet I45 causes its armature structure to rotate counterclockwiseabout pivot 201, thereby causing latch member 204 to release bell crank202. The spring 20I, thereupon pulling upwardly on the lower contactI50, causes an insulating knob 2I0 supported on the leaf spring supportof lower contact I50 to press upwardly on the leaf spring supportinlower contact support II, thereby closing contacts I5I. Incidentally,the free end of the leaf spring supporting upper contact I50 movesupwardly under its own resiliency and opens contacts I 50. It willtherefore be understood that whenever magnet I45 is energized, contactsI50 open and contacts I5I close, the reason and function for thisoperation having been explained in connection with the circuit diagram.

It has also been explained that the contacts I50 and I5I when opened andclosed, respectively, during the analysis of a card, must remain inoperated positions until the analysis of the card is complete; and thatafter the analysis of the card is completed, and before the analysis ofthe following card begins, they must be restored to their normalpositions as shown in Fig. 3. The restoring mechanism consists of a pairof cams mounted on shaft 2I5. It may be remarked at this point that itis customary to construct the automatic control devices in sections,each of standard size and each containing the complete mechanism foreffecting automatic control within its capacity. In the present machine(see Fig. 1) three standard automatic control sections have been usedfor the comparing device, and as the drive for the restoring mechanismof each of these sections is substantially the same, the drivingconnections for the right hand section only in Fig. 1 will be described.

The shaft 2I5 (see Fig. 3) has a gear 350 attached to its end whichmeshes with a gear 35I (see also Fig. 1) fixed to shaft 352. Shaft 352extends across the machine, and, at one end, carries a gear 353 whichmeshes with a gear 354 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 355. Gear 354meshes with a gear 356 fixed to the end of shaft 92 which carries thelower feed rolls 84. The shaft 92, supporting feed rolls 84, it will berecalled, is operated from the main drive shaft 30 of the machine. Thegear ratio is such that shaft 2 I 5 makes one revolution for each cardsent through the analyzing section of the machine.

When the magnet I45 is deenergized, the spring.

2I2 restores the armature structure to latching position, and a cam 22I,mounted on shaft 2I5 restores the bell crank 202 into latching position,where it is latched by the latch member 204. Of course, when thisoccurs, the extension 205 on the bell crank arm closes contacts I50 andopens contacts I5I', whereby the comparing device is restored, inreadiness to operate, if necessary, according to the following cardspassing through the analyzing mechanisms. A positive restoring device isprovided for the armature structure in case the armature sticks, and thespring 2 I2 fails to restore it. This consists of a bail 2I3 extendingover the latching members 204, and pivoted on pivot 201. An extension2I9 on this bail cooperates with a cam 2! on shaft 2I5, and just afterthe bell cranks 202 have been rocked to latching position, a hump on thecam engages extension 2I9 and rocks the bail clockwise, whereupon itrestores any armature structures which have not been restored by theirsprings 2 I 2, to latching position.

225a and 226a from stack 35a, thus indicating that the perforations inthese oifset cards do not agree with those in corresponding cards in theother stack. The offsetting operation is performed by mechanism operatedby magnet I19.

Referring to Fig. 3 for a moment, the actual ofisetting operation occursjust after a card which is to be oifset has left the feed rolls 84, andis in position with its forward edge within an open gripper device ofthe stacker E but before the gripper device actually grips it. At thisinstant the card is free between the plates 85 and 86 and may be forcedto one side.

The magnet I19 (Figs. 4, 5, and 6) has an armature 230, which hangs froma pin 23I extending through an upstanding ear 232 on the armature 230and through holes in levers 233 and 234, which are pivoted on the magnetsupporting frame at 235 and 236, respectively. The free end of lever 233carries 9. depending link 240 whose lower end is pivoted at 2 to a lever242, which is pivoted at 243 on the magnet supporting frame.

A spring 244 holds the free end of lever 233 upwardly, to maintain thearmature 230 in unattracted position, and forces a sideways extendinglug 241 on lever 242 against a stop screw 245. The lever 242 isyoke-shaped at its end distant from the pivot 24I, and a dependingmember 246 is fast to this yoke-shaped end. A pusher member 249 ispinned to the depending member 246 forming substantially an integralstructure therewith. The lower end of the pusher member 249 is broadenedas shown at 250, and this broadened end portion lies opposite one edgeof the card. which is passing between the plates 85 and 66. The relationof this pusher member to a 'card which is between the plates 85 and 86is shown in Fig. 4, the card being indicated at 25I.

It will be recalled that whenever the magnet I19 is energized, whichoccurs whenever a card disagreeing with the corresponding card in theother stack has just left the feed rollers 84 and is between plates 85and 86, this card will be pushed to one side so as to be ofiset from itsstack when it reaches the discharge hopper.

Energization of magnet I19 attracts its armature 230, which movesdownwardly and rocks arm 233 clockwise about its pivot 235, inopposition to the spring 244. The link 240 attached to the end of arm233 thereupon rocks lever 242 counterclockwise around its pivot 243,whereupon the broad end portion 250 of pusher member 249 is forcedagainst the edge of card 25I and forces it to the right as shown in Fig.6. When this happens the card on reaching the discharge hopper will beoffset as indicated for the cards 225 and 226 in Fig. 4.

After the magnet I19 is deenergized, which occurs shortly before theanalyses of the following cards begin, the spring 244 tends to restorethe pusher mechanism to the position shown in Fig. 4. The spring isassisted by a positive restoring device in the shape of a cam 255 (Figs.4 and 5) cooperating with the member 246 which supports the pusher 249.The earn 255 is mounted on shaft 256, which carries the card stackers,and which analyzing operation. The cam 255 is provided with four humps265 which are arranged to strike an extension 2 66 on member 246 at theproper time to restore this-member, and the attached linkage connectingitto armature 230, after the offsetting operation has been performed.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be noted that exactly similar ,mechanism isprovided for offsetting cards from stack 35a. This mechanism is operatedby the magnet I18 in exactly the same manner as just described inconnection with the OE:-

setting mechanismfor stack 35.

The general operation of the machine, as illustrated inthe drawings,will now be briefly summarized. One stack of perforated cards is placedin the supply hopper'A (see Fig.1) and another stack, which should agreecard for card with the stack in hopper A, is'placed in supply hopper B,

The machine is started in operation by dea pressing the start key I02(Fig. 8), whereupon the ,motor M drives the mechanical parts. The twosets of card picker knivesiof which one of those operating in connectionwith supply hopper "B is shown at 45 in Fig.3) each feeds cardssuccessively from the supply hoppers into the feed rolls. Correspondingcards from the two hoppersare simultaneously analyzed by therespectiveanalyzing devices, of which that for hopper B consists of brushes 8!!and conducting roll 8|. As long as the index point perforations incorresponding cards agree, the cards from each stack feedin a straightline to the stacker mechanism, one of which is shown at E in Fig. 3, andare stacked thereby in discharge hoppers, bne of which is indicated atK. Whenever one analyzing mechanism finds aperforation in a card whichit is analyzing and the other analyzing mechanism does not find acorresponding perforation in the card which it is analyzing, a circuitis,prepared to energize an offsetting magnet 219. The circuitis'actually completed and the magnet 219 actually energized, at a latertime in the operation of the machine, just after the disagreeing cardsfeed clear of feed-rollers 84, and before they have been gripped by thegrippers of their respective stackers. The magnet I19 (see Fig. 4) pnbeing energized attracts its armature 230 and,

through suitable levers and linkages, rocks pusher members, one ofwhichis indicated by 249, from .the position shown in Fig. 4'to thatshown in Fig. '6. The pusher members, in rocking, displace the twodisagreeing cardsto the side, offsetting them from the normal path ofcard travel. Thereafter the gripper members of thestackers close on--thedisplaced cards and feed them into their respective discharge. hoppers.The stacks in the discharge hoppers, therefore, have the disagreeingcards offset as indicated for the cards-225,

266, 25511., and 226a in Fig. 4.

.The invention has now been disclosed in connection with what isbelieved to be the preferred form of mechanism for practicing it, but itwill be obvious that modifications of the mechanism and other methods ofutilizing the invention will readily occur toth'ose-skilled in the art.It is to be understood that the invention is intended to be limited onlyas indicated bythe scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In a machine of the class described, a card feedmechanism for normally feeding a card in a. straight line of travel,card analyzing means, a card stacker arranged toward the end of saidline of travel and provided with gripper members place it to one side ofits normal straight line of travel yet maintaining the same plane oftravel and mechanism' controlled by said analyzing means for operatingsaid deflecting device.

2. In a machine of .the class described, a card feed mechanism fornormally feeding a card bearing index points in a straight lineof-travel, a card analyzing device, a. card stacker arranged toward theend of said line of travel and provided with grippers for seizing a cardafter it reaches the stacker, a. deflecting device for operating on thecard after it reaches the stacker, but before the grippers seize it, todisplace it to one side of the straight line of travel yet maintainingthe same plane of travel, an electromagnet for operating said deflectingdevice, a circuit including said electromagnetic device and means forcontrolling said circuit under control of said card analyzing device.

Be A record card comparing machine for comp ring, card by card, stacksof cards on which data may be represented by index points, comprisinganalyzing mechanism for concurrently analyzing corresponding cards fromeach stack, card feeding mechanisms for advancing cards continuously andsynchronously past said analyzing mechanism, comparing mechanismcontrolled by said analyzing mechanism, and meanscontrolled, by saidcomparing mechanism when index -means for sensing predetermineddesignations in the cards when they reach said station, means forimparting a predetermined movement of a card transversely of its normalline of travel and in its own plane before reaching said pocket, andmeans controlled by the sensing means for operating the second namedmeans when predetermined cards are sensed by the sensing means wherebyto offset the predetermined cards relative to the others.

5. In a record card controlled machine, a record supply hopper, areceiving hopper, means for conveying the records from the supply hopperto the receiving hopper, means adapted when 012- erated to offset therecordshorizontally and transversely of their line of travel between thehoppers, an analyzing device adapted to sense designations in saidrecords during their passage between said hoppers, and means controlledby the analyzing device for operating the offsetting means in accordancewith designations in the records.

6.,A device of the class described, comprising a record receivingpocket, a pusher element located at the entrance to said pocket andadapted to move'a record entering said pocket 9.. small amount parallelwith the cards in said pocket a record analyzing station, means toconvey a batch of records from the analyzing station to the receivingstation, means to move the records at right angles to their line 01'travel and in their own planes prior to reaching said station wherebycertain of the records in the batch reach said station physicallydisplaced or offset a predetermined amount relative to the other recordsof the batch which were previously conveyed to said station, and meanscontrolled through said analyzing station for operating the moving meanson the occurrence of records having a predetermined designation wherebysuch records on reaching said station are caused to project beyond therecords of the batch which do not have said designation.

8. In a record controlled machine, means to place a batch 01' records ina common stack, means associated with the stack for displacing recordsin their own planes and transversely of their normal line of travel intothe stack whereby certain records oi! the batch may be stacked upon theother records of the batch in a position di splaced in a directionparallel with the planes of the records of the batch which werepreviously stacked, means to detect a predetermined designation in arecord, and means controlled by the detecting means for actuating thedisplacing means.

9. A record card controlled machine having means for delivering a batchof records to a common stack and means for distinguishing certainrecords from others by virtue of data designations in the records,comprising a member for imparting an oflsetting movement to the recordsin their own plane an extent less than a dimension of the records todisplace them whereby certain records of the batch are stacked so as toproject beyond other records of the batch previously delivered to thestack, and means for actuating said memher under control of thedistinguishing means.

CLAIRD. LAKE.

